Donna asked if we were making dents in our stash. Hmmm--not sure!! So I went back to all my old stash reports, and after adding on the back of an envelope, it looks like I've bought 99 yards this year, but used 172 yards. That means I've used 73 more yards than I bought. Can I tell? Truthfully, not really. But my stash is more organized! I think much more before I buy. Every Monday I make goals. If I didn't have goals I would go to the sewing machine and play. Now, playing is good, but you have to have a finish too! I have finished at least 12 UFO's this year, and only one was a wall hanging--the others were all much larger. And I know I've done at least 12 donation quilts. And many of my projects are cut out and bagged up, ready to go. Not out of my stash, but ready! Thanks Judy!!!

I bought stash this week, but it was for a present, so don't think it counts. And I did use some stash--the 2nd baby slide show used 6 yards. I also made 31 heartstrings blocks as stress relief late in the evenings--not sure how much "stash" they use! They all came from my baskets/floor piles. I have been working at organizing my fabric, and all those 31 blocks came from one pile on a chair I had sorted. Sorta depressing,as there are still pieces on that chair!

This is another chair I have sorted strings onto.

Oh well. Why 31? Why such a random number? I had 31 foundations ready to go!

And here is my cutting table, the 31 blocks, tubs with noodles, bricks, and piles of strings.

Now I have to take some tylenol and go back to painting the outside of my house. Maybe next year we will get permanent siding!

Yesterday while Ken was power washing siding, I went inside to call about my wireless network. I had been unable to get it working since I brought it home. Called my internet provider, not their thing. Called my computer person, no--not his thing really either. Besides, the poor man is already working on my desktop hard drive which seems to have a major tummyache since I got home from MN.

I had bought this Linksys router and called their customer support number. I talked to a Ralph Greg--and this man was MORE than helpful. I was on the phone 2 hours with him, and he assured me that before I got off the phone my laptop would work wirelessly! He went thru everything step by step looking for problems. He even set up my security and many many other things. Linksys--I can't say enough GOOD things about this man! He is my Hero! Yes, I am posting wirelessly from my couch!

Okay, a little off my Motivation Friday post---I had four things I wanted to get done this week. I did get the 2nd slide show done. I have folded the greater portion of my fabric and cleared out lots of scraps into appropriate bins. The rest, well, it will have to wait until my house is painted, at least while the weather is holding so nice. I am hoping to be on the ladder in the morning!

Well, I'm stiff and sore today. Spent the last few days cutting and folding. I have enough bricks cut for 3 Bricks and Stepping Stones tops. Noodles to make at least 2 Scrappy Bargello tops. Lots of centers for Heartstrings blocks. And strings--well, that pile is pretty high.

I still have lots more to cut up, but it's looking better. This winter when I can't go outside, I can work with all these precut pieces into donation quilts. Ahhh--feels good! Tonight I want to sort thru my baskets, throw out all those pieces too little to use. I'm feeling "nesty", and I'm too OLD to be nesting!

But now I've organized them a little better, and my cutting table is cleared off!

I used my ruler and folded my fabric with it, and it's true!~ You CAN get more fabric on your shelves! That's the same fabric from before, and I ADDED all the fabric off my cutting table. Whew!

Today I am still working with my scraps, cutting all the pieces I've pulled out into:1) 2.5" noodles2) 3.5x6.5" bricks3) reds, green, and blue heartstrings middles4) strings--lots of strings!

I know sometime in the future I will use the noodles to make something scrappy, and the bricks will go into a Bricks and Stepping Stones quilt. I love that pattern, and it uses all those odd bits of stash up!

Ken and the oral surgeon went well, except he's whiney. But I've sent him to the grocery store as NOTHING I have here appeals to him! He wants some potato dumpling soup. Sigh--the things we do for our husbands!

It feels like I've been wandering around aimlessly this morning, but I did fold big stack of fabric. The weather is warm but overcast, that's OK--the windows are open and have a breeze. But goals---

1. Get chunky churn dash on long arm2. Bind 2nd Slide Show3. Fold fabric and pick up sewing/cutting rooms4. Pull out another old UFO to work on

Tomorrow I take Ken to the oral surgeon so that's a GOOD thing, as his tooth has really been bothering him. And would like to finish scraping that last side of the house. Last night I "vigorously pruned" the wisteria. I was going to prune the trumpet vine but it's blooming so beautifully right now.

And being OCD, I am trying to plan what I need to take to the Heartstrings Sew In in October. Probably one of the main reasons I am organizing/folding my fabric. I KNOW there is fabric in there that can head for Minnesota!~ And last night while on the folding spree, I set the pattern I bought in Minnesota in front of me (Aardvark Quilts--Nine Patch Stripe) and cut the pieces for a queen size while I was folding. Totally random pieces, except for value.

Things are rolling along, I'm quilting on the 2nd baby Slide Show, and really like how the pantograph shows on the fleece. I'm using Waterworld by Jodi Beamish.

I'm waiting for some laundry to get dry, hope that I finish quilting this at the same time. What do you think my odds might be?? More than likely I will run out of bobbin thread with 6" to finish! But its another lovely day, so will keep plugging along. I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

No Stash in, but I did have some finishes. The Corn and Beans table topper took about 7 yards, and the baby Slide Show took about another 6. I have the 2nd Slide Show Top loaded.

My house is almost completely scraped, one short end left. I would like to quilt the 2nd slide show, then try and scrape the short end of the house. Trim some Wisteria and a Trumpet Vine I want to move. Can't paint with them waving around anyway! Even though I didn't finish everything on my list, it's been a good week! The weather has been fantastic. Ken helped me scrape on the house, poor man, he took lots of pain killer and stayed off the ladders!

Well, my list was a bit ambitious for this week. But I did finish the table topper UFO and manage to avoid being queen on the stashbuster list. But only by the skin of my teeth. This particular project was at least 10 years old, and I am going to use it to cover a nightstand. It finished about 50" square.

I have one slide show baby top quilted and am making the binding now. I still want to paint the house, but Ken has a sore tooth and is waiting til Tuesday to have it pulled, so he's not really in the mood! But it's very warm out today, maybe tomorrow it will cool off and we (me?) will work on it.

Judy asked "do things like this really happen to people". Yes Judy, they do. It happened while I was in Minnesota a few weeks ago picking up groceries at a local grocery chain. Parked beside me was a Blazer, and just as I was about to start my car and leave, along came the people for that vehicle. Not sure what was said or done, I was checking my list, when all at once lots of shouting and yelling and cussing and the oldest boy (looked about 18 or so) was fighting with the Dad(??). Well, there was lots of slinging of the grocery bags and when the dust had settled, they had BROKEN the side window of the blazer. Whew--for a while there I thought those grocery bags full of cans were going to hit MY car!! Well, they were standing there pointing at the window and yelling, and I decided that NOW was a good time to leave. Nope, not a clue who they were.

I've been busy here, the ladders are out and I am ready to start scraping the bad spots on the house. There're aren't that many and the weather is wonderful. I got a bit sidetracked with edging the sidewalk, got halfway last evening and will finish up before I start scraping. And I was even a bit quilty, I quilted a table top size UFO, it's down to binding (something to do in the evening when it's too dark to scrape/paint). And I loaded a slide show baby top, I have two of them. I have started quilting the one with the fleece on the back using Keryn's Lime Tree panto. I find it easiest to do with the top on the bottom and the fleece on the top--no stretching or puckers that way. And since there is no custom type quilting--very quick.

At first thought it a bit strange to have squares on one side and polka dots on the other, but I am beginning to like it. (the second slide show is on the rollers to show you how they look together.)

Quilty goals, let me think. I'm the first lady in waiting on Stashbuster list, so to avoid being queen I need to finish a UFO.

1. Bind the table topper UFO2. Quilt a Slide Show baby quilt-it's already loaded3. Quilt the EXTRA Slide Show baby quilt4. Get the Chunky Churn Dashes on to quilt

Okay, I think that will be enough for this week, also want to paint my house, and am getting overnight guest tonight. And weed my flower beds. Check the garden. And all those other jobs that no one did while I was gone. And miss Mason--maybe I should have put him at the top of my list, but he's not quilty. sigh

Pretty quiet stash report--nothing in except thread and two patterns, and nothing out. But by next week I will have a finish, I loaded a table top size UFO that has been here for at least 10 years. And I would like to finish a slide show baby quilt. So hopefully I will have pictures of some finishes soon.

Ken and I are home again, spent last night unpacking (remember how full my car was?). Luckily he brought the pickup when he drove up--could put lots of things in it for the ride home. We've spent the day sorting and putting stuff away, I've been gone off and on since June, and this last time was almost a month without ever coming home! I went thru "things" (Ick!!) in the fridge, THAT was a nasty chore! And then when I turned on my home computer it wouldn't connect to the internet. Whine Whine! And since my little laptop connects just fine, I will have to take my home PC into the computer Dr. We have lots of things to get done before winter, I would like to paint my house another coat (thank heavens it's a plain white) before winter.

Being home is nice, had Ken's favorite meal of potatoes on the grill, burgers with homegrown tomatoes, muskmelon. And a pan of brownies. Now I'm off to find some M&M's, I found these new mocha flavored ones.......

A bit rainy here, looks more like fall. But Granpa drove up, and I think he and Mason like each other.

And here is how Granpa babysits, he is teaching Mason all his tricks!

I got up this morning, Granpa was babysitting Mason again this morning, everyone else was sleeping! LOL--I know he LIKES to hold Mason while he's sleeping. Not sure what the plans for today are. Ruby the quilting dog needs food, and Shamus (my bird) needs food too. Maybe the humans will go out to eat.

The new family is off for a lab appointment and a few other dr. type things. I am left home to drink my coffee (yeah--like that's a hardship!~) Ken has called and is getting ready to come here, checking to see if I need any last minute items. I was still asleep when he called, luckily I had made a list the night before and could just read it off.

Yesterday was Laura Beth and Nick's 2nd wedding anniversary and I talked them into going out. Without Mason. So they did a few errands, came home fed Mason, and then went out to eat. They thought it felt good just to get out and look at different scenery for a while. And since they were "cleaned up" we took a family photo.

Mason and I had a tough evening, he slept, I read, cruised the internet, watched a movie, and when he was a little fussy I sang and cuddled him. Luckily, he's not too fussy what I sing! I can remember the words to patriotic songs, Christmas songs, and a few hymns! And some silly nursery stuff. What do you sing??

We are going to eat leftovers until supper, I found a chicken recipe on the internet to try. If it's a "keeper" I print the recipe out for Laura Beth. I off to iron some more scrap happy pieces, do some laundry, and maybe watch the movie again.

Ooops, missed Monday completely! I'm keeping busy here with new parents and new baby. But I KNOW I'm not as tired as they are!

Goals---hmmmmmmmmmmm.

1) continue to work on scrap happy blocks2) plan some meals to leave ready for LB and Nick3) plan for the Heartstrings sew in October 25th

And I went shopping yesterday, I bought two spools of Aurifil thread and two patterns. This one will use up lots of "unloved fabric" Nine Patch Stripes by Aardvark Quilts, and this one is for my stash of 30's repros, Hanky Panky by Darlene Zimmerman. I am determined to continue using up my stash, my motto is "NO MORE SAVING FABRIC"!!

Mason, Laura Beth and Nick all came home today. Whew--do those new parents look tired. I think they are all sleeping at the moment! I am cooking food for them--Nick requested Potato Dumpling Soup and I made a pan of brownies--I know there is Rocky Road ice cream, chocolate syrup and spray whipped cream. YUM!! The soup recipe was obtained from a older Czech lady who used to make it when she cooked at a restaurant. It's delicious. AND--it reheats great. Just what we need at the moment. I am trying to be very quiet, tomorrow I may do some more serious cooking. Now is a good time to catch up on some reading.

While I've been at Laura Beth's I have used two spools of thread! Can't believe the amount of thread I use, I had two of the regular size gutermann in my box, used those already, I am down to a black and a red. Oh dear, I will probably have to go to the quilt store to find some of that nice blending gray Aurifil~!

Not very exciting around here. Me, the dishwasher and the laundry. Ho-hum. I have been sewing, and have a few items Laura Beth asked me to bring to the hospital. I did make 24 more scrap happy blocks, and I am pleased with how fast they go together.

I think the yellow is starting to disappear, I have some golds and pumpkins I will add in as I go. I think when it gets put together with the sashing (beige/tan TOT) it will quiet down quite a bit. I am picking up some fast food to take to the hospital for Laura Beth, I think she is tired of the nutritious hospital food.

Last night I did the first twelve Scrap Happy blocks. Hmm--pieces are a little small, I think Henrietta is rubbing off on me. 113-12=101. Only 101 blocks left. But they are easy to piece, it's a relaxing project. There is sashing and cornerstones too, so it won't look quite like the picture. Here's a link to another version of this pattern using 30's fabric at allpeoplequilt It's called Scrap Happy 30's wall hanging. The yellow in my blocks is a bit bright, but will wait to see if I like it when I have all the blocks made.

I have been busy, catching up on some sleep, doing laundry, and running errands. I think maybe on Sunday Laura Beth and Mason will be coming home, so would like to have the house spiffed up and ready for them.

In the last post I told you how I liked to cut all my pieces out BEFORE I sew. At least the block portions. And then I have this friend. Henrietta. She is my best friend. But, she is NOT like me. Henrietta will come and stay with me and we will tackle many projects. Move my sewing room. Paint houses. Go on road trips. Great fun!! But then there is Henrietta and her method. She first figures out the math for the quilt, doesn't HAVE a pattern, if you are lucky you might have a picture. And she likes quilts that are "challenging". Lots of itty bitty pieces, weird size pieces, curved piecing, interlocking colors. Below is a quilt she called "Chains of Lurv". (I actually think it was called "chains of love") It was an "anything goes" type of scrap quilt. She had me cutting the pieces. (Evil smile here!) There are pieces of some of the most butt ugly fabric you can imagine in it. Dog bones. Paw prints. Leftover samples from fabric manufacturers. There is a piece with some wildly colored GUITARS on it! Pigs! Look at the picture, can you see any of them?? And this isn't a small quilt, not a wall quilt, a bedsize quilt. Now me, the odd size pieces, the start and stop method of piecing, (Henrietta will take just enough pieces to make a block or two, stick them on the design wall and then do it all over) drives me insane. I can hardly stand to watch! But see how lovely it's turned out?? So Sue--here are two different methods. The OCD method and Henrietta's "fly by the seat of your pants" method!

Sue was wondering how other quilters make/plan their quilts. First I plan the quilt, iron and stack my fabric, and set the book next to the cutting table. I like to cut all my fabric first, then sew. I love mindless chain piecing. I "audition" the blocks on my design wall and often take a picture and get a new perspective on it by looking at the blocks on the computer. I like my binding to match my border if I want it to blend, or if I am planning a more funky look--bias striped binding is fun! Since I am trying to use as much stash as possible, and probably love them the best, scrap quilts get made a lot. I love a wild riot of colors! And zip lock baggies are a quilters best friend. Put all those fabric pieces in their bag--write on the outside of the bag, then enclose the whole works in a gallon bag with the pattern/magazine.

First I ironed, then cut the 2" squares, 1.5x2.5" rectangles, then 1.5x3.5"rectangles. I think I have almost enough cut here, I need 904-3.5", 452-2.5" rectangles, and 113 2" squares.I know, doesn't look like enough pieces for a queen size quilt, but that's what the directions called for.

And here are my baggies all ready to go, this way I don't lose my project. (Remember what my sewing room looked like??!!)

Here is what was left of trimmings and refolded fabric.

And if you were wondering if I had cut enough pieces, I still have this box of fabric left--I haven't cut anything that's left in here yet!

When I have all my blocks made I will cut the sashing strips, cornerstones, and setting triangles. I may change my mind about the fabric I have chosen for the those pieces after I get the blocks together. But I don't think so, I am trying to use my stash for this one.